The importance of understanding large data, context, conventions and uncertainty in a pandemic
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has provided rich data displays informing the public about the spread of infection, risks for certain population groups and the effectiveness of vaccines. These data sources offer opportunities for students and teachers to explore and disc...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2022-10-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Teacher Education and Development |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ajoted.org/index.php/ajoted/article/view/7 |
| _version_ | 1797338810923614208 |
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| author | Max Stephens Djordje M. Kadijevich Janelle C. Hill Mayamiko Malola |
| author_facet | Max Stephens Djordje M. Kadijevich Janelle C. Hill Mayamiko Malola |
| author_sort | Max Stephens |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has provided rich data displays informing the public about the spread of infection, risks for certain population groups and the effectiveness of vaccines. These data sources offer opportunities for students and teachers to explore and discuss data of high relevance to their lives and their communities.
Aim: This article argues that in the teaching of statistics and probability, greater attention needs to be given to understand the three key elements of statistical literacy, namely context, conventions and uncertainty. The article also identifies several key areas linking theory and practice.
Setting: This article draws on different data displays using COVID-19-related websites internationally; nationally in Africa and South Africa; and locally in the State of Victoria in Australia.
Methods: By investigating and analysing different data displays, the article shows the importance of assisting students to understand context, data conventions, uncertainty and risk–benefit to understand COVID-19 data. The article examines pertinent ‘frontier’ areas in the teaching of probability and statistics.
Results: The article identifies important opportunities and challenges for the teaching of statistics in schools and for teacher education, including greater attention to frequentist expressions of probability, risk–benefit analysis, the importance of time series analyses and critical approaches to the evaluation of available data sets.
Conclusion: For schools, greater attention needs to be given to the different conventions by which data are expressed, including the use of dynamic dashboard representations.
Contribution: The article shows how available COVID-19 data can be used to enhance students’ statistical literacy and enrich teacher education. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:36:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-456683904a874583a9f51fce2f73deb1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2958-8650 2958-0986 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:36:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Teacher Education and Development |
| spelling | doaj.art-456683904a874583a9f51fce2f73deb12024-01-30T08:13:53ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Teacher Education and Development2958-86502958-09862022-10-0111e1e1110.4102/ajoted.v1i1.74The importance of understanding large data, context, conventions and uncertainty in a pandemicMax Stephens0Djordje M. Kadijevich1Janelle C. Hill2Mayamiko Malola3Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne, MelbourneInstitute for Educational Research, BelgradeMelbourne Graduate School of Education, Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne, MelbourneMelbourne Graduate School of Education, Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne, MelbourneBackground: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has provided rich data displays informing the public about the spread of infection, risks for certain population groups and the effectiveness of vaccines. These data sources offer opportunities for students and teachers to explore and discuss data of high relevance to their lives and their communities. Aim: This article argues that in the teaching of statistics and probability, greater attention needs to be given to understand the three key elements of statistical literacy, namely context, conventions and uncertainty. The article also identifies several key areas linking theory and practice. Setting: This article draws on different data displays using COVID-19-related websites internationally; nationally in Africa and South Africa; and locally in the State of Victoria in Australia. Methods: By investigating and analysing different data displays, the article shows the importance of assisting students to understand context, data conventions, uncertainty and risk–benefit to understand COVID-19 data. The article examines pertinent ‘frontier’ areas in the teaching of probability and statistics. Results: The article identifies important opportunities and challenges for the teaching of statistics in schools and for teacher education, including greater attention to frequentist expressions of probability, risk–benefit analysis, the importance of time series analyses and critical approaches to the evaluation of available data sets. Conclusion: For schools, greater attention needs to be given to the different conventions by which data are expressed, including the use of dynamic dashboard representations. Contribution: The article shows how available COVID-19 data can be used to enhance students’ statistical literacy and enrich teacher education.https://ajoted.org/index.php/ajoted/article/view/7probabilitystatisticsstatistical literacydata visualisationsdashboardsteacher educationcovid-19pandemic. |
| spellingShingle | Max Stephens Djordje M. Kadijevich Janelle C. Hill Mayamiko Malola The importance of understanding large data, context, conventions and uncertainty in a pandemic African Journal of Teacher Education and Development probability statistics statistical literacy data visualisations dashboards teacher education covid-19 pandemic. |
| title | The importance of understanding large data, context, conventions and uncertainty in a pandemic |
| title_full | The importance of understanding large data, context, conventions and uncertainty in a pandemic |
| title_fullStr | The importance of understanding large data, context, conventions and uncertainty in a pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | The importance of understanding large data, context, conventions and uncertainty in a pandemic |
| title_short | The importance of understanding large data, context, conventions and uncertainty in a pandemic |
| title_sort | importance of understanding large data context conventions and uncertainty in a pandemic |
| topic | probability statistics statistical literacy data visualisations dashboards teacher education covid-19 pandemic. |
| url | https://ajoted.org/index.php/ajoted/article/view/7 |
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